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Randall Mosca’s three-point play with 6.8 seconds remaining in regulation time earned the UBC Okanagan Heat a 68-65 victory over the visiting Fraser Valley Cascades on Saturday.
The win, improving their CIS Canada West men’s basketball record to 8-8, maintained UBCO’s precarious hold on the final playoff spot in the Explorer Division. The top three teams advance to Canada West playoffs.
With the game tied at 65, Mosca was fouled while sinking a contested jump shot and was good on the free throw to give the Heat their three-point margin. UBC Okanagan then forced UFV's Brandon Burke into a long and unsuccessful three-point attempt.
Heat coach, Pete Guarasci, said his team works on late-game situations, but the Mosca’s play wasn’t part of the plan.
"I think that was just more Randall being Randall, and finding a way to make that bucket. It wasn't anything I drew up. That was just Randall making a big play."
Mitch Goodwin of Kelowna led the Heat with a 24-point /five assist performance, while three of his teammates — Buzz Truss (13), Aldrich Berrios (11) and Cameron Friesen (10) — reached double digits. The Cascades were led by Manny Dulay and his 24 points, with Nate brown contributing 19.
Meanwhile, UFV led in shooting percentage, finishing the game with 49% (33.3 3FG%) to UBC Okanagan’s 38.2% (28.6 3FG%). The Cascades also out-rebounded the Heat 37-34.
The Heat led 20-15 at the quarter but trailed 35-34 at the half before outscoring the Cascades 20-17 in the third quarter.
Coach Guarasci said Goodwin’s performance was the key to victory.
“I just think Mitch was really aggressive for most of the game. We needed him to be like that, and he stepped up and led us," said Guarasci, who noted that the Cascades were playing without two of their best players. “So you take it for what it is. A win is a win."
Coupled with a 81-65 loss on Friday to the Cascades, the Heat’s weekend left them just two points up on the MacEwan Griffins of Edmonton. So, their two-game matchup Feb. 12 (8 p.m.) and 13 (7 p.m.) at UBCO will go a long way in deciding the third and final playoff spot in Canada West.
The Heat close out the regular season with a pair of games in Kamloops against the first-place Thompson Rivers WolfPack (14-2).
In women’s basketball action on the weekend, the UBCO Heat allowed the visiting UFV Cascades to move closer to the final playoff spot as they dropped both games on home court.
The Heat still hold down third place with a 10-6 record, but now the Cascades are nipping at their heels with a 9-7 mark with four games remaining in the regular season.
A 90-44 loss to the UFV on Saturday, following their 65-50 defeat at the hands of the Cascades on Friday will make it much more difficult for the Heat to keep their grip on the a post-season berth.
UBCO has four games remaining in the regular season — two each against the MacEwan Griffins of Edmonton this weekend and a pair against the Thompson Rivers WolfPack — both of whom have 13-3 records. UFV plays Thompson Rivers and Mt. Royal (1-15).
On Saturday, the Heat were out-worked and out-hustled by the Cascades — according to head coach Claire Meadows.
“We simply got pushed around,” said Meadows. “They came into our gym and made us look like we were far from prepared to play that basketball game.”
None of the Heat were able to get into double digits, with Robyn Aulin-Haynes getting the closest with nine points. Emily Kanester of Vernon and Emma Johnson of Kelowna finshed with seven apiece.
Looking head to playing host to MacEwan on Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (5 p.m.), Meadows said it was clearly evident that her team will have to spend some time on defence.
“Which is too bad, because that’s what we pride ourselves on.”
On Friday, the Heat trailed by eight points after the first quarter and were down 37-25 by the half. Although UBCO outscored the Cascades 16-15 in the third, it proved an aboration on the night as they managed just eight points in the final 10 minutes.
Asked if UFV’s physical play was a contributing factor in the Heat shooting just 26.5 % (18-for-68), coach Meadows said it was more because of her team relying on scoring from three-point range.
“We should be focusing on better shot selection — getting into the paint,” she said. “Rebounding is a focus of ours. UFV has big bodies, so we have to be equally physical against teams like that.”
The Cascades held a 50-38 on the boards.
Kanester led the Heat with 18 points in her 37 minutes of play, while Shanelle Tamminen added seven to go along with six each from Aulin-Haynes and Vanessa Botteselle.
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